2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Natural disasters are a major source of property and infrastructure destruction, hindering sustainable development and obstructing social and economic progress. They cause widespread damage, injuries, health issues, and fatalities, particularly in low-income communities that are highly vulnerable due to physical, social, and economic inequities. Furthermore, these traumatic events often exceed individuals’ coping abilities, threatening their psychological well-being and leading to adverse mental health (MH) outcomes. Effective disaster management is key to providing timely and adequate responses. As such, it is crucial to develop a skilled disaster management workforce (DMW) that is educated and trained to understand and respond to the devastating impacts of natural disasters. This education should be holistic and include MH and well-being components to support both victims and the workforce itself, as exposure to extensive destruction and human suffering can have a profound impact on their well-being. However, despite the importance of such education, there is minimal research that addresses the MH impact of disasters on the DMW and how to better prepare them to support victims while protecting their own MH. To address this gap, this study surveyed architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) professionals as well as civil engineering (CE) and construction management (CM) students with the goals of (1) understanding the impact of natural disasters on MH; (2) investigating the importance of integrating MH knowledge and skills into disaster management practices to promote a holistic, effective, and well-being-focused approach, including equipping the DMW with these skills; (3) identifying the MH resources that are most beneficial for supporting communities and prioritizing their MH and well-being during disaster management; and (4) exploring the importance of incorporating disaster management education, including MH components, into civil engineering and construction (CEC) curricula. The results of this study highlight the critical importance of equipping the DMW with MH knowledge and skills to ensure a more holistic and effective approach that prioritizes sustainable recovery efforts. This includes not only relief, recovery, and reconstruction but also the well-being of affected individuals and the workforce itself. The findings of this study benefit both the DMW and affected communities by providing a framework for integrating MH knowledge and skills into holistic, resilient, and sustainable disaster management practices.